Belle Brockhoff: 'I'll make my opinion heard, but I also know that if I don't get a gold medal, most people won't care about my opinion.'

In the lead up to the Sochi Winter Olympics this week, lesbian Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff has spoken up about how “worried” her parents are for her safety due to anti-gay laws in the host country.

In an interview with BBC Sport on Tuesday, Ms Brockhoff said: “I want to go there because I’m not afraid of these laws and I want others that live in Russia, who are homosexuals, to see that.”

However, the 21-year-old says her parents are “so worried” about her competing in Sochi, and send her messages all the time.

She added her mother fears she will be targeted by Russian police for her sexuality, and her father is concerned the media will “crucify” her in the lead up to the Games.

“I’m sure Putin’s already reading about me or other athletes who have said things,” she added.